National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation (National Fuel) has submitted to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission its annual adjustment to gas supply charges. This adjustment decreases the monthly bill of a typical residential customer with annual usage of 100,300 cubic feet of gas by $6.15, from $74.61 to $68.46. This 8.24 percent decrease is to become effective Aug. 1, 2019.
Benefitting northwestern Pennsylvania homes and businesses, market prices of natural gas remain near historic lows when compared to the previous 11 years due to the large supply of shale gas. Nearly all of the gas consumed by National Fuel utility customers comes from Pennsylvania produced shale gas.
National Fuel's price-to-compare gas commodity charge also will decrease to $0.37569 per ccf. This reference point, detailed on the National Fuel bill under Gas Supply Charges, is important for customers who shop for an alternate gas supplier.
Gas supply charges are passed along to customers dollar for dollar, with no mark-up or profit to National Fuel. Pennsylvania utility companies are permitted to update gas supply charges on a quarterly basis to reflect changes in the market price of natural gas. The next opportunity to adjust gas supply charges will be Nov. 1, 2019.
As the result of proactive cost-containment and productivity efforts, National Fuel hasn't sought to increase the delivery service charges paid by its residential customers in more than 11 years, even while consistent investments in pipeline safety and system modernization have continued.
